Curing-machine.



F'. A. STEGHER. I I CURING MACHiNE. v APPLICATION FILED APR.15| H115. 1,199,337. Patented Jul 1916.

2 SHEETS-S E 1.

INVENTOR F. A., STECHER.

GURING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. 1915- Patentd July 1-1,- 1916. 6 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. f f v ATTORNEYS v treatment.

FRANK A. STEGHEE, OF ROCHESTER, GRAPHIC COMIANY, OF ROCHESTER,

NEW YORK; nssrcnon 'ro sr'ncnnn LITHU- NEW YORK, A conronn'rron or new YORK.

CURING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed April 15, 1915. Serial No. 21,568.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK. A. S'rsonnn, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useflil Improvements in Curing- Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-n11- morals marked thereon.

My invention relates to curing machines with more particular reference to the type of apparatus employed for treating sheet material, and embodying generally a retaining mechanism for supporting sheets of pa per or similar material in suspended or vertical position While subjecting them to currents of air possessing certain determinable degrees of temperature and moisture in order to produce a standariflcondition in the stock undergoing treatment, and the present structure has for its purpose to provide a novelarrangement whereby an evcm' regular effect is assured throughout all parts of the sheet.

Another purpose of the structure is to effect a more complete and thorough intermingling of the air with the material under treatment so that one portion of any given sheet will be subjected to precisely the same amount of heat and moisture as any other portion, and the dilicrent sheets, at the same time, will have imparted to them a uniform A further obj cct contemplated by this improvement is to so direct the air as is discharged into contact with the material that it is distributed over a large space, and is of maximum efficiency with relation to the area of surface which it engages.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of th specification.

In the drai-vings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, with parts broken away, showing a machine constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 lS/FI side elevation; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the air duct,

and Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 49% of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters in the several figuresindicate the same parts.

The invention is susceptible of a variety of uses and as an instance of its application, I may citethe lithographic art in which difficulty' isexperienced in properly matching sheets after they are printed, owing to the changes that occur in the paper either from shrinkage or expansion resulting from atmospheric conditions in the printing room. In order to overcome this, it is necessary to previously subject the paper stock for a con siderable length of time to currents of air of substantially the same temperature and humidity as that of the press room, thus cur ing it, or fixing the fibers of the paper so that a definite standard can be maintainedthroughout the entire printing operation to prevent the. sheets from varying in the slightest degree as to size. Various machines have been designed having this purpose in view and the present apparatus contemplates more especially a means whereby to insure properly curing the stock by effooting a maximum intermingling of the air,-

as distinguished from other forms of apparatus in which the air is distributed in such manner as to effectively treat some parts of thematerial more than others and by operating with the mechanism which I am about to describe, the necessary treatment of the paperor other material can be completed in a minimum period of time.

With these ends 1n view, the structure comprises sheet holding means adapted for maintaining aplurality of sheets in suspended or vertical position, and preferably consistingof an endless conveyer which travels about sprocket wheels 1 and 2 and may be driven in any suitable manner so as to effect continuous travel of the conveyer. The latter may be of any desirable form and in the present instance, includes a series of rods carrying rollers 3." The rods are connected together, each carrying a pair of clamps consisting of a stationary jaw 4 and a hinged jaw 5 operating by gravity to engage a series of sheets shown at 6. The lower lap of the conveyer is supported and travels upon angle bars 7 engaged by the rollers 8, while the upper lap travels on the angle bars 8 which constitute a support for the same. It will be understood that the features of construction ofthe conveyer which I have just described constitute no part of the present invention except in so far as they afford generally a means for maintaining the sheets in Vertical position with reference to the air currents; the distribution 01: which is now to be described. Y

The air distributing means includes an air duct 9 extending lengthwise of the inachine; and supplied with air from any suitable pressure or blowing apparatus, the air being maintained at any desired degree of temperatnre and humidity which will i y under difierent conditions and be diet mined by the particular quality which it is desired to impart to the stools. The duct 9 may be provided with conduits 10 leading thereto and supplied from a blower ll. Air is discharged. from the duct 9 upwardly, in such a way as to thmroughly agitate sheets and come in contact with every portion of the surfaces thereof and with this in View, I employ series of discharge ports 12 arranged at the sides of the duct and direct" ed inwardly toward the center and. also 1 wardly. The ports 12 embody nan-ow elem-- gated openings connected with the soot 9 by" curvedwalls l3 and 14: which are so formed as to permit ready passage oi the air prevent the formation of air? pockets. The ports 12 are arranged at opposite sides of the duct 9 and in alternate relation, as shown in Fig. 3 whereby the sheets are succcssively subjected to oppositely directed cur-' rents for predetermined intervals, depending on the speed of iLZttv'Ol of the ccnveyea Combined with the inwardly moving cur rents of air which issue from 1 orts 12 are additional air currents ti-ave. s entirely in an upward direction and issuing from ports 15 which are disposed be'tween'thc side ports 12. The ports 15 are preijerabiy narrow and continuous, extendingthroughout the length of the duct 9, while they are con" nected to the main body of the duct by curved walls 16. Although I have shown the present disclosure two ports 15, it may not be entirely necessary to em'gloy both of 5 those under all. conditions, as some require ments may obtain where only one vertically directed port may be necessary, which. could be arranged centrally of the duct 9. ther, it is not absolutely essentialthat the ducts 15 be continuous, since a series of openings in spaced relation to each other might be sufficient for some purposesal though I prefer to make use of the particle lar arrangement shown and described. The top wall of the duct 9 is connected with the side Walls by means of curved portionsl'f, eliminating sharp corners or pockets on tirely from the an conduit, {30 as to obviate dead air spaces within. the chamber and to reduce friction s a minimum.

claim my inyention:

1. A curing machine comprising sheet holding means for maintaining a sheet in a vertical position, and an air duct arranged aeneath the sheet holding means and pro vided with upwardly and inwardly directed ports at its sides acting to cause air to be projected upwardly, and inwardly from the sides into contact with the sheet.

2. A curing mscl1ine--comprising sheet holding means for maintaining a sheet in. a vertical posit-ion and a i air duct arranged beneath the sheet holding means and pro with upwa'm and inwardly clirec" ed ports at its si: es and upwardly direc between acting}; to cause be projected y from the cent in, and upwardly an from. the sides]; contact wi h th in It curing holding means for maintainmg posit in and an duct a1 is.

' ing; means and proodinwardly directed ltc mate rclatimi at o is, itt'f'cliji directed port s cans-e ii to'he gi o-- from the center and 1 'i'vai'dly we rdly alternately .11.; ran ed s or the sides.

A, curing ll'lfivfilfl fi comprising sheet holding means for maintaining a.- sheet ertical position, and an. air duct arrange beneath the sheet holding means and pill" vided. with upwardly and inwardly direc d elongated ports arranged in alternate tion at opposite sides and an u wardl rectedcontinuous arranged -,itcs.

A curing" machine compris a in; conveyor 3. hole-Ling sheets in a ye)? tlcal position, and. an. duct he neuth the conveyor and provided with no weirdly inwardly directed ports its sides act: 5;; to ca so our to be pro ected. up

ill?

worthy and inwardly from the sides contact with sheets on the conveyor.

A curing machine comprising a travel ing conveyor for holding sheets in a. vertical position, and an air duct arranged benet h the conveyor and provided with open."

and inwardly directed elongated ports or ranged alternately at opposite sides and an upwardly directedcontinuous port arranged between the sides acting to cause air to be projected upwardly at the center and. up wardly andinwardly from the sides of the duct into contact with sheets on the conveyor. I I

- Flt-Allis: A. Sil 'QGHEltM Vi itness-es 2 CHARLES H; lions,- @HAS. A. Bolus-n2, 

